Valve operator



J1me 1940. s. ARNOLD ETAL, 2,205,235

vulva orahnon Filed inch 31, 1938 5 Sheets-Sheet 1 WITNESSES: 'INVENTORS $7M. 51m 434M014 am June 18, 1940, ARNOLD ET AL 2,205,235

VALVE OPERATOR riled larch :51, 1938 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 WITNESSES:

. INVENTORS 0 M 77/ f? June 8, 1 0- a. E.'ARNOLD H L S 2,205,235

VALVB OPERATOR I 5 Sheets-Sheet 3 WITNESSES:

, INVENTORS & few/275 A ma/a and ATTORN VALVE OPERATOR Filed larch 31, 1938 5 Sheets-Sheet 4 WITNESSES: INVENTORS aZ z/M [4m Z'Tfl/wa/davd Z Z Rater-z 6. f/erziqdz ITREY June 18, 1940.

E. E. ARNOLD EFT-AI. 05,

VALVE OPERATOR Fild larch 31, 193B 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 m WITNESSES:

fi ATTORN Patented June 18, 1940 UNITED STATES azesnss VALVE OPERATOR Edwin E. Arnold, Pittsburgh, and Robert s. E1- berty, J12, Waynesboro, Pa., assignors to Westinghouse Electric & Manufacturing Company,

East Pittsburgh, Pa., acorporation of Pennsylvania Application ,March 31, 1938, Serial No. 199,320

8 Claims.

Our invention relates, generally, to operators for fluid valves and, more particularly, to motoroperated valves with automatic control;

In fiuid distribution systems, the separate valves of the system are often motor driven to the desired open or closed position, the control" for the motors being situated at a central control station.

The object of our invention is to provide a motor-driven valve operator which shall function to actuate the valve to the desired open or closed position, and to automatically deenergize the drive motor when the valve has reached the desired open or closed position.

Another object of the invention is to provide a motor-driven valve operator which shall function to actuate the valve to the desired open or closed position, and to automatically de'ener-gize the motor in response to the increased torque exerted by the motor when the valve has reached the desired open or closed position.

A further object of the invention'is to provide a control system for a valve which shall function to actuate the valve selectively to open or closed position and deenergize the actuating means when the selected position has been reached. I

Another object of the invention is to provide a motor-operated control unit for fluid valves which shall be compact and sturdy, reliable in operation, and inexpensive to manufacture.

These and other objects and advantages of the invention will be apparent from the following detailed description taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, in which:

Figure 1 is a side view, partly in section, showing the cooperative relationships of the elements of a'preferred embodiment of the device of our invention;

Fig. 2 is a view, partially in section, taken along line II--II of Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a view, partially in section, taken along line III--III of Fig. 1;

Fig. 4 is aside elevation view, partly in :section, of an alternative form of drive mechanism for a valve operator; I

Fig. 5 is a diagrammatic illustrationof a control system for actuating the valve operators of Figs. 1-4;

Figs. 6 and '7 are front and side elevation views of the main operating parts of a third formof our invention; and

Fig. 8 is a diagrammatic illustration of a control system for actuating the valve operator of Figs. 6 and 7.

In: carrying out ourinvention, we provide a reversible drive motor for actuating a valve and provide a reduction gear for the driving connection between the motor and the valve operating stem. The driving force from the motorto the i3 5 valve stem is made to react against a spring member which is so adjusted as to yield. under predetermined torque transmitted bythe motor. When the valve has been moved to full open or closed position and stops, the torque of the motor {To increases and causes the spring to yield to move acircuit control means to deenergize the motor.

Control systems are provided for selectively energizing the motor for rotation in the desired direction. l 1

Referring'nowto Fig. 1 of thedrawin'gs, a motor 2 has its housing A secured in any suitable manner to a b-racket member fi, which in turn is secured in any suitable manner to a gear housing.

member 8. Within the gear housing 8 a sun gear 8.0 v

I0 is secured to a shaft IQ of the motor, 2 by. key

members as shown. A planet gear M is mounted rotatably upon a pin member l6 which is'secured in any suitable manner to a plate memberwlfl.

The plate member [8' is mounted for rotation upon a shaft 20 which is an extension of the v operating stem 22 of a fluid valve v(not shown).

A balance member l5 of approximately the same weight as the planet gear M is mounted on the plate member l8 to provide a better balance of an the rotating parts so that the mechanism will run smoothly. A second planet'gear similar to the planet gear l4 maybe substituted forbalance member 1511 desired. i I

An internal ring gear 24 is rotatably mounted 321 in the housing 8 in cooperative relation With'the planet gear M. An arm 26 issecured by a screw 28 to the ring gear 24 and extends radially into the box member 38 of the housing 8. The re la,

tion of the sun, planet and internal ring gears isum best shown in Fig. 2, which-is a sectional View along line II-II of Fig. 1. I

The arm 26 is positioned between the spring members 32 and 36 which bear against the'cap -members and 38, which in turn engage the a5 heads of screws 40 and 42 in the arm 26. The tension of the spring members 32 and 34 may be. adjusted by the screw members 44 and which extend through the end walls of the box member 36 and engage the cap members is and 50, which bear uponthe ends .of the springs i2 and 35, respectively. r I

Also positioned for rotation in the housing 8 is an internal ring gear 52 which is positioned'to cooperate with the planet gear M. The ring gear A circuit control device 66 is secured to the inner wall 62 of the bracket member 6 by means of the screw members 64, and has an operating pin 68 extending into the housing 8. A pin member I0 is secured to the ring gear '24 inoperative relation with the operating pin 68 of the circuit control device so that the circuit control device 60 will be operated when the ring gear 24 is displaced from the position'in which it is normally held by the spring members 32 and 34. The circuitcontrol device 60 may be any suitable switching devicewhich is capable of selectively .closing one or the other of two circuits in response to the actuation of the operating pin in one direction or the other by means of the pin I6.

In the operation of the device as shown in Figs. 1, 2 and 3, the motor 2 will drive the sun gear I0, which in turn will drive the planet gear I4 to cause it to rotate upon the ring gear 24 and to rotate the ring gear 52, which in turn will operate the valve stem 22 to actuate the valve to either closed or open position depending upon the direction of rotation of themotor 2. When the valve driven by the valve stem 22 reaches its extremelimit of travel to the open or closed position, the movement of the stem 22 will stop and the reaction between the planet gear I4 and the ring gear 24, caused by the stopping of the valve stem 22 and the ring gear 52, will cause the ring gear 24 to be displaced against the tension of either the spring member 32 or the spring member 34, depending upon the direction of rotationof the motor 2. This displacement ofthe ring gear 24 will cause the pin I0 to engage the pin" 68 to operate the circuit control device 60. The circuit control device 60 maybe connected in any suitable manner in the circuit of the motor 2 to deenergize the motor 2 when the switch is actuated. v

In Fig. 4 there is shown another form of the invention in which the reduction gearing comprises a pair of planetary gear trains in-tandem. Like elementsin this form of the invention and the form of the invention shown in Figs; 1, 2 and 3 are designated by the same reference characters. In thisform of the invention, a sun gear I0 is keyed to the shaft I2 and actuates the planet gears I4 and I4, which in turn cooperate with the internal ring gear 24. The planet gears I4 and I4 are rotatable upon the pins I2 and 12?, respectively, which are secured to a plate member I4. The plate member I4 has a sun gear element I5 extending therefrom in driving relation with the planet gears 18 and 80. Planet gears '16 and are rotatable upon the pins 82 and 64, which are secured to the plate member 85, which in turn is keyed to the shaft 20 which operates the valve stem 22. Rotation of the plate member 86 is produced by cooperation of the planet gears I8 and 80 with a stationary internal ring gear 83 which is shown formed integral with the housing member 8 but which may be a separate gear element secured to the housing member.

the operationof the form of the invention shown in Fig. 4, the power will be transmitted from the motor 2 to the valve stem 22 through the reduction gearing comprising the two planetary gear trains in tandem, and when the valve has reached its limit of movement, the reaction between the planet gears I4 and I4 and the ring gear 24 will so displace the ring gear 24 against the bias of its positioning springs 32 and 34 as to cause the pin'l0 to engage pin 68 to actuate the circuit control device 60 and thus deenergize the motor 2.

In Fig. 5 there is shown one system of control for a valve actuating motor which may be used with eitherof the embodiments of the invention of Figs. 1, 2, 3 and 4. The motor 2 shown in Fig. 5 is illustrated as a single-phase induction motor having its main field winding connected to the source of power represented by conductors X and Y. Its starting field winding may be connected by means of the conductors I36 and 22 through a reversing switch I 40. The reversing switch I40 comprises the contact elements of the relays I42 and I44, which may be selectively energized by the selectively actuable switching devices I46 and I48, respectively, which may be push button switches. The contact elements I50 and I52 of the relays I 42 and I 44 act in holding cir cuits to maintain their respective relays energized after their selective energization by the closing of the switching devices I46 and I48. The back contact elements I54 and I56 of the relays I42 and I 44, respectively, act as lockouts for the relays I44 and I42, respectively, to prevent energization of one of these relays while the other one is'energized. The contact elements I58 and I60 of the relays I62 and I64 are connected in circuit with the coils of the relays I42 and I44, respectively, so as to deenergize the relays I 42 and I44, respectively, upon the encrgization of the relays I62 and I64, respectively. A switch device 60 comprising the conductor elements I24 and I26 and the contact elements I28 and I30, and I32 and I34, which specific conductor and con" tact elements are not shown. in the embodiment of the device of Figs. 1, 2, 3 and 4, are connected to energize the relay I62 or the relay I64, depending upon the direction of displacement of the arm 26. A normally closed manually operable switching device I66 is provided in the common holding circuit for the relays I42 and I44 so that the motor may be manually stopped at any desired point in the actuation of the valve operated thereby.

In the operation of the control system of Fig. 5, when it is desired to actuate the valve to closed position, the switching device I46 is actuated to efiect'the energization of the relay I42 which operates to close its contact element I50 and to open its contact element I54, and to actuate the reversing switch I40 so as to select the proper direction of operation of the motor 2.

Contact element I50 closes the. holding circuit for the relay I42 and contact element I54 opens the operating circuit of the relay I44, rendering the switch device I48 ineffective to energize the relay I44. If it isdesired to stop the operation of the motor 2 at any time, the holding circuit ,for the relay I42 may be deenergized by actuating the switching device I66. When the motor 2 has moved the valve operated thereby to its full closed position, the reaction in the mechanical power transmitting elements between the motor and the valve shown in each of the three embodiments of the invention caused by the increased torque due to the stopping of the valve, will cause the conductor element I24 to engage the contact elements I32 and I34 to thereby energize the relay I62 which opens its contact element I58 to break the holding circuit of the relay I42. The elements of the control system will then be in the positions shown in Fig. 5, and the valve may be actuated in the reversed direction in a similar manner by closure of the switching device I48.

A third form of the invention is shown in Figs. 6 and '7, and in this form of the invention a shaft I2 of a motor 2, indicated by a broken line, is

keyed to a cam member 88 which carries and rotates within a pawl member 90. The pawl member 90 has a pair of tooth engaging shoul ders 92 and 94 which cooperate with two series of oppositely disposed tooth members 96 and 08 on the disc I00. The series of tooth members 96 and 98 are so shaped as to permit the shoulders 92' and 94 of the pawl 90 to cooperate therewith to rotate the disc I00 in one direction or the other, depending upon the direction of rotation of the motor shaft I2. Thus when the motor shaft I2 rotates. in the clockwise direction, as viewed in Fig. 6 of the drawings, the shoulder 84' of the pawl member 90 will engage the series of teeth 98 and step the disc I00 around in the clockwise direction a distance of one tooth width for each revolution of the shaft I2. In-a like manner, when the shaft I2 rotates in the counterclockwise direction, the shoulder 02 will engage the teeth 05 to rotate the disc I00 in a counterclockwise direction.

The shoulder members I02 and I04 are secured to the disc member I00, and'have bearing against them the spring members I06 and I08, respectively, which also bear against an arm'IIO to transmit rotational movement to the arm when the disc member I00 rotates. A pin member I I2 extends through the spring members I06 and I08 and the shoulders I02 and I04'to properly center the spring members.

The arm. IIO has a collar portion III which is keyed to the operating shaft 20 of the valve. The disc Hill has a sleeve member H3 fixed thereto,

1 both the sleeve H3 and the disc I00 being rotatable on the shaft 20. A split collar member H5 is mounted in frictional engagement with the sleeve H3, and has arms extending radially therefrom engaged by a bolt III so that the proper sliding frictional engagement between the collar H5 and the sleeve H3 may be established. An arm I22 is secured to the collar member- H5 and serves as the operating member for the circuit control unit 80'. The circuit control unit 60 comprises contact elements I28 and I30 suitably secured to a fixed support member I3I by a strip of insulating material I33 to which they are attached by resilient members I21 and I 29 positioned-in cooperative relation with a bridging conductor element I28 carried by the arm I22. In a like manner the contact elements I32 and I34 are fixed to a strip of insulating material I35by resilient members I23 and I25, the. strip I35 being supported by the member I3I, and are positioned in cooperative relation with the bridging conductor I24 carried by the arm I22.

- The frictional engagement between the collar H5 and the sleeve H3 is such as to permit the sleeve IIB to rotate the arm I22 when the disc I00 is rotated in either direction, and to also permit the sleeve M3 to rotate with respect to the collar H5 when the movement of the arm I22 has been stopped by engagement of either the conductor element I24 or the conductor element I20" with its cooperating fixed contact elements.

In the operation of the device of Figs. 6 and 7, the motor 2 will act through the pawl and ratchet as the'clisc I00 continues to rotate.

members" to 'rota't e'pdisc I00, and the rotation of disc I00. will be transmitted through the spring members I06 and I08 to the arm III), which in I turn will rotate the operating shaft 20 of the valve. The arm I22 will Iotate'With the shaft I ilo While the collar H5 slides upon the sleeve H3 7 7 When the valve operated bythe shaft 20 reaches its'full open or closed position, the shaft 20 will be stopped, and the stopping of the shaft 20 will in turn cause the arm Hi! to stop rotating. The pawl 92 or the pawl 04, depending upon the. direction in which the valve is being. operated, will tend to continue to rotate the disc I00, however, against the tension of either the spring IilIi-or the spring I08, which is the driving link between the disc I00 and the arm H0. This will cause relative displacement between the 'disc I00. and

the arm H0, and when the pawl is relieved from "In Fig. 8 there is shown a'c'ontrol system which may be used in conjunction with thevalve operator shown in Figs. 6 and '7. Referring to Fig. 8, a reversing switch I40 is operated by the relays I42 and I44 which in turn are selectively controlled by the push button switches I'4'5 and I48, respectively. The reversing switch M0 is connected' in thecircuit of one of the windings of the single-phase induction motor 2 to selectthe direction of rotation of the motor 2. The conductor element I24 and its associated contact elements I82and I84 are connected in parallel with the push button switch I45 to provide a holding circuit for the relay I42 after the initial movement of the arm I22 to move the conductor element I24 into engagement with the contact elements I32 and I34. The co'ntactelements I28 and I30 and their associated conductor element I26 are associated in a like manner with the push buttom switch I48;

The back contact elements I54 and I56 are provided on the relays I42 and I44, respectively, to provide lock-out circuits for the relays I44 and I42, respectively, so that the motor may not the same time. A normally closed push button switch I60 is provided in the common control circuit of the relays I42 and I44 so that the motor may be deenergized at any desired positlOn; I

In the operation of the control system of Fig. 8, the push button switch I45 may be moved to closed circuit position, thus energizing the relay I42 to select the direction of operation of and deenergize the motor 2. 2' has moved the arm I22 to carry the contact element I24 to closed circuit position with re- .be energized for rotation in both directions at When the motor spect to the contact elements I32 and I34, the 4 push button switch I45" may be released and the relay I42 will remain energized through the conductor element. I24. When the motor 2' has of push button switch I48 and its associated circuits.

It will be seen that we have provided a simple, sturdy and compact valve operating device which will function to actuate the valve to its extreme open or closed position, and, in response to the stopping of the movement of the valve in its extreme closed or open position, will deenergize themoton In compliance with the requirements of the patent statutes, we have shown and described herein the preferred embodiments of our invention. It is understood, however, that the invention is not limited to the precise constructions shown and described, but is capable of modification by one skilled in the art, the embodiments herein shown being merely illustrative of the principles of our invention.

We claim as our invention:

1. In a valve operator, a crank member disposed to actuate a valve, means for actuating said crank member, resilient means disposed between said actuating means and said crank member whereby a predetermined stress between said actuating means and said crank member causes relative movement between said actuating means and said crank member, and means responsive to relative movement between said crankmember and said actuating means for controlling said actuating means.

"2. In a valve controller, a ratchet, a motor, a pawl driven by said motor and cooperating with said ratchet to drive said ratchet stepby-step, a resilient driving connection between. said driven ratchet and the valve, said resilient connection having such resistance as to yield appreciably to the driving force applied by said motor through said ratchet to the valve only when the valve has been stopped'by reaching the 'end of its travel, and means whereby the reverse movement of said ratchet under the influence of said resilient connection will stop the rotation of said motor.

3. In a valve controller, a motor, a reciprocating pawl driven by said motor. a ratchet driven step-by-step by said pawl, resilient means connecting said ratchet in driving relation with a valve, said resilient means having such resistance to deformation as to yield appreciably to the driving force applied by said motor through said ratchet to the valve only when the valve has been stopped by reaching the end of its travel, said ratchet being free to be moved in the reverse direction by said resilient means after said resilient means has been appreciably stressed, and circuit control means for said motoroperable by said ratchet to maintain said motor energized after movement of said ratchet by said pawl and to deenergize said motor upon reverse movement of said ratchet by said resilient means.

4. In a Valve controller, a reversible motor, means comprising a gear train connecting said motor in driving relation with a valve, means for energizing said motor selectively for rotation in a direction to open or close the valve regardless'of the position of the valve, holding circuit means for maintaining said motor energized as selected, means responsive to the excessive stress between elements of said gear train when the motion of the valve is obstructed as when the valve has reached its extreme limit of travel in the selected open or closed position for breaking said holding circuit means and theremotorin driving relation with a valve, circuit control means for energizing said motor to actuate the valve, a holding circuit means for maintaining said motor energized, means actuated upon energization of said motor for completing the holding circuit of said holding circuit means, means responsive to excessive stress between elements of said mechanical means when the motion of the valve is obstructed as when the valve has reached its extreme limit of travel for opening'the holding circuit to thereby deenergize said motor and stop the motion of the valve, and manually operable means for breaking said holding circuit independently of said excessive stress responsive means to thereby stop the motion of the valve at any desired valve position.

6. In a valve controller, a motor, a gear train connecting said motor in operative relation with the valve, said gear train comprising a sun gear driven by said motor, a first ring gear and a planet gear driven by said sun gear and engaging said first ring gear, a second ring gear engaging said planet gear and having a different number of teeth from thefirst ring gear, means connecting said second ring gear to operate the valve, means biasing said first ring gear in a predetermined position, means whereby predetermined turning movement on said first ring gear will cause it to be displaced from said predetermined position, means for energizing said motor selectively for rotation in a direction to open or E close the valve, holding circuit means for main taining said motor energized as selected, means responsive to predetermined displacement of said first ring gear when the movement of the valve is obstructed as when the valve has reached its extreme limitof travel in the selected open or closed position for breaking said holding circuit means and thereby deenergizing said motor, and manually operable means for breaking said holding circuit independently of said displacement responsive means.

7.'In a valve operator, a motor, a plurality of planetary gear trains connected in tandem relation between said motor 'and a valve to be operated by said motor, means biasing one of the ring gears of said planetary gear trains to a predetermined position, means whereby a predetermined value of torque applied to said gear train causes displacement of said one ring gear from said position, means for energizing said motor selectively for rotation in a direction to open or its extreme limit of travel in the selected open or closed position for breaking said, holding circuit means and thereby deenergizing said motor; and-manually operable means for breaking close the valve, holding circuit means for mainsaid holding circuit independently of said displacement responsive means.

8. In a valve controller, in combination, a motor, a reduction gear train disposed between said motor and a valve, said gear train including a sun gear, a planet gear and an internal gear disposed in cooperative relationship, means biasing said internal gear to a predetermined position, said biasing means being such as to permit displacement of said internal gear, means for energizing said motor selectively for rotation in a direction to open or close the valve, holding circuit means for maintaining said motor energized as selected, means responsive to predetermined displacement of said internal gear when the movement of the valve is obstructed as when the valve has reached its extreme limit of travel in the selected open or closed position for breaking said holding circuit means and thereby deenergizing said motor, and manually operable means for breaking said holding circu t independently of said displacement responsive means. i

EDWIN E. ARNOLD.

ROBERT S. ELBERTY, JR. 

